WEBVTT E VIRUS WHICH UNFORTUNATELY ISGAINING TRACTION HERE INMARYLAND.IT IS THAT COUGHING, SNEEZINGFEELING SICK TIME OF YEAR.IT IS FLU SEASON.>> WE STARTED TO SEE AN INCREASEIN FLU CASES AT THE END OFJANUARY.IT HAS GRADUALLY INCREASED SINCETHEN.REPORTER SINAI HOSPITAL ISN'TTHE ONLY PLACE SEEING AN UPTICKIN FLU CASES, THE MARYLANDDEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SAYS IN THELAST WEEK OR SO INCIDENTS HAVESPIKED AND ARE SHOWING UPWIDESPREAD AROUND THE STATE, ANDTHAT'S PRETTY TYPICAL FOR THEMIDDLE OF FEBRUARY>> YEARS WHERE THE H3N2 THE TYPEOF VIRUS THAT'S CIRCULATING THYEAR TEND TO BE A LITTLE BITMORE SEVERE THAN SOME OF TOTHER TYPES THAN SOME OF THEOTHER YEARS WHEN THE OTHER TYPESPREDOMINATEPIDEMIOLOGIST DR RICHARD BROOKSSAYS THE H-3-N-2 VIRUS IS ASUBSET OF INFLUENZA TYPE A, ANIS COVERED, ALONG WITH INFLUENZATYPE B.IN THIS YEAR'S FLU VACCINE.OVERALL THE VACCINE IS 48%EFFECTIVE THIS YEA>> WHILE THAT SOUND KIND OF LOWI WOULD EMPHASIZE THAT REDUCESAN INDIVIDUAL'S RISK FOR NEEDINGTO GO SEE A PROVIDER FOR FLU BYHALFTHIS IS SORT OF ALONG THE LINESOF WHAT WE NORMALLY SEE IN TERMSOF HOW EFFECTIVE FLU VACCINESARWE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A MOREEFFECTIVE VACCINE, SCIENTISTSARE WORKING ON IT BUT RIGHT NOWTHIS IS ABOUT THE BEST WE HAVE.REPORTER: DR. BROOKS SAYS ITSSTILL NOT TOO LATE TO GET THEFLU SHOT.DOCTORS SAY YOU CAN BECONTAGIOUS BEFORE YOU EVEN HAVESYMPTOMS AND UNKNOWINGLY SPREADTHE VIRUS.THE BEST DEFENSE IS TO WASH YOURHANDS OFTEN, AND IF YOU DO FEELSICK -->> STAY AT HOME STAY AWAY FROMFRIENDS AND FAMILY AS BEST YOUCAN TO TRY AND KEEP FROMSPREADING ITREPORTER SHE SAYS WE CAN EXPECTTO SEE SEVERAL MORE WEEKS OFTHIS HIGH INTENSITY SPREADING OFTHE FLU BEFORE WE START TO SEETHOSE CASES DECLINE VERY LIVE IN

The flu is now high intensity and widespread across the state, according to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The news comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announces this year's vaccine is less than 50 percent effective.